I want to thank Q, and everyone who knew about my condition, I have had Prostate Cancer since the end of last season, it was a funny that this year The League came up with The Prostate Cancer Foundation during the season. Never took anything like that serious because I never thought it would happen to me. In August I was told that I had stage two. Still in denial, I waited till near the end of September to go and take radiation treatment. It took a lot out of me, but just kept going. It is good to say that I am Cancer free at least for now, I will need to go for check up's once a month. Q, was very supportive as well as a few other's I spoke too. I hope that everyone gets an exam for Prostate Cancer. If I stayed in Denial I might not be playing any longer.. or worst wouldnt be alive. Thanks and see everyone on the field/// Ralph
ralph - you and your family have been through a lot. i'm so pleased that, knock wood, you've come out healthy. here's hoping all your treatments (including chemo?) are behind you, or will be soon, and that you're back with us this spring to defend your hitting crown.
what's good is that you and zuzu have optimists' viewpoints and you're always ready to laugh. that sounds simplistic but it's crucial.
you may know this: norman cousins, a writer and peace activist, wrote a book in the 70s called "anatomy of an illness," which detailed how his doctor told him in 1964 that he had an incurable illness and had about 6 months to live. cousins, who'd already beaten tuberculosis, thereupon fired his doctor, got as much sun as he could every day (for the vitamin D properties and because it lifted his moods), and began taking massive amounts of vitamin C (he found that his illness and the medicine he was taking for it depleted the vitamin C stores in his body), and, journalist that he was, he began researching ways to heal himself. he found that laughter releases hormones like dopamines which help the immune system fight various diseases, including cancer.
so he got himself a movie projector and some marx brothers movies and candid camera shows and began watching, determined to laugh himself to health. he did. he died in 1990 at 78.
no one', including cousins, is saying that cancer patients should drop modern medicine for vitamin C and laughter. but if we all can give ourselves big doses of each and get the regular checkups you advise, we'll likely be increasing the odds we'll see another season.
so, three from groucho on the way out:
"One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into my pajamas I'll never know. "
"Anyone who says he can see through women is missing a lot."
"Humor is reason gone mad."
luck, ralph. -mike
-- Edited by mhart on Saturday 8th of January 2011 03:14:10 PM
I also had no idea Ralph. Had I known, I wouldn't have rooted against the Jets so hard!
Happy to know you have recovered. God bless you and Sue. Thanx to CDMSBL, I got to know two great people I would have never met. A toast to memories, my friend. Hopefully there will be many, many more to come for all of us.
Good to hear that everything has gone well! Looking to see you out there again this year. to paraphrase the Most Interesting Man In The World, "Stay Healthy, My Friend."
Mr. Marrero, I am glad to hear of your positive prognosis. And I'll take your advice to have regular check-up and screenings. See you out there this spring Ralph.
oops! i see, and have been gently informed, that i made a mistake. i assumed "ralph21" was ralph caputo and my note above was so directed. i was wrong: ralph21 is ralph marrero. my apologies to both men. but if i may my original message applies to senor marrero as much as any and all of us: keep your upbeat attitude, good sir, an attitude which is always present, and keep rebounding, with as much vitamin C and laughter as possible.
come to think of it, my mistake can be the start of some laughter for us all.
-mike
-- Edited by mhart on Tuesday 11th of January 2011 01:48:54 AM
